Brunei
Attends Fisheries Conference in US
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA -
The Brunei Darussalam delegation, led by Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Hamid bin
Haji Mohd Jaafar, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and
Primary Resources, attended the Global Shrimp Outlook/ Global Fish
Outlook 2006 in Miami, Florida in the US. The conference was held from
November 6 to 9.
Also in the delegation were
Hajah Hasnah Ibrahim, Director of Fisheries, Haji Faizal Haji Yakub,
Deputy Managing Director of Semaun Holdings Sdn Bhd, and senior officers
from the Department of Fisheries.
The conference was a
gathering of leading seafood sellers, buyers and distributors involved
in the global market. It provided an opportunity for the Brunei
delegation to learn and understand current development trends of the
global shrimp market as well as issues on health, organic food, food
safety and issues relating to the global fish market such as emerging
fish species with the potential to be cultured, global fish marketing
trends and food technologies.
The conference also allowed
the Brunei delegation to form a business network with famous
international seafood buyers. The delegation met and held a discussion
with Darden Restaurants Company from the US, which was led by Red
Lobster Restaurant President, Mr Kim Lopdrdp.
The restaurant chain is one
of the biggest in the US with over 1,400 outlets. Darden Restaurant
welcomed efforts by Brunei to produce big-size black tiger shrimp.
According to them, the market for such a product is very positive and if
Brunei can produce a consistent supply, Darden Restaurant would be
delighted to be a long-term buyer.
Also discussed was the
production of quality produce such as the need for a seafood processing
plant to be Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) certified and
the traceability system of product in place.
Brunei has already planned
and implemented several projects towards the fulfilment of such
international market requirement. Presenters during the conference
comprised various experts from government agencies and private sectors
including Mr Jim Anderson from the University of Rhode Island, US; Mr
Panisuan Jamnarwej from Thai Frozen Food Association, Thailand; Mr Dean
Akiyama from PT Central Proteinaprima, Indonesia; Mr AP Gomez-Lince from
Promarisco, Ecuador; Mr Roger Bing from Darden Restaurant, US; Mr Peter
Redmond from Wal-Mart Stores Inc, US; and Mr Brett Koonse from the US
Food and Drug Administration.
- Courtesy of
Borneo Bulletin -
